As recent protest songs go, "Not Gonna Say Your Name" is one of the few that has stood out to me as a genuinely great song beyond its political context. It also served as my introduction to Entrance, even though the band/project, often associated with "freak folk" artists like Devendra Banhart and Will Oldham, has been around in many permutations since the early 2000s. It's somewhat fitting, though, that this would be my first exposure, as bandleader Guy Blakeslee seems to be in the process of reinventing Entrance once again. He's releasing a new album called Book of Changes later this month, and its first single, "Always the Right Time," is also quite good, an infectiously upbeat homage to late '60s/early '70s-era folk-pop with rich, sunny harmonies.

"Not Gonna Say Your Name" operates within a similar musical landscape. It builds up gradually from an a cappella opening, instrument by instrument, until it becomes gorgeously lush, twangy, and warm. If you weren't paying close attention to the lyrics, the song might come off as an impassioned kiss-off to an ex-lover who caused the singer extraordinary pain. The melodies also happen to be incredibly catchy, with an effortlessly timeless quality that allows them to transcend time and place. You'll immediately want to sing along to the impeccably-constructed dual male/female vocal harmonies. Often, protest songs tend to sacrifice musicality for the message, so the musical perfection of this one is particularly refreshing. Ultimately, the actual lyrics might be the least compelling thing about it, as they're fairly straightforward and simplistic and don't offer much that we haven't heard before. Still, they're cathartic in the sense that they mirror what we're all thinking. The transition out of the second verse and into the chorus is particularly powerful: "I might have to see your face a hundred times every day, but I'm not gonna say your name." This is not a denial of reality but a denial of respect to someone who has proven himself undeserving of it many times over.

I urge you to purchase this track from Bandcamp today for maximal impact: Blakeslee's profits will go to Planned Parenthood and Bandcamp's will go to the ACLU. Several more artists and labels have joined with Bandcamp to pledge their earnings to the ACLU or other relevant organizations. Father/Daughter Records includes bands I've posted about in the past, like PWR BTTM and Sharpless, and has several promising upcoming releases up for pre-order, including Diet Cig and Vagabon. Saddle Creek is always a good bet, and you can't go wrong with anything from Los Campesinos! A full list of labels and bands participating can be found here. Just buy anything!